You might be surprised to know that the air inside your home could be dangerous. In fact, our indoor air is often what causes common illnesses and ailments.

We spend 65% of our time in our home, which means biologic, chemical and even electrical pollutants fatigue, asthma, skin conditions, learning disabilities, ADHD, digestive issues, infertility, obesity, and cancer.

And if you’re home bound, inactive or live in an area where the weather keeps you inside a lot, you’re more susceptible.

You might also be surprised to know that one of the best ways to clean your air indoors is by simply using what nature provides. Plants, because they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, actually filter the air as they’re doing what comes naturally to them.

Plants are natural air filters and are quite successful at eliminating harmful household pollutants including formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene and toluene. NASA has actually conducted studies and lists the following plants as excellent natural air filters:

* English Ivy
* Peace Lily
* Aloe Vera
* Chinese Evergreen
* Bamboo Palm
* Green Spider Plant
* Chrysanthemum   
* Gerbera Daisy/African daisy
* English Ivy/Common Ivy   
* Philodendron
* Mother in law’s tongue
* Golden Pothos
* Weeping fig
* Boston Fern

The general rule of thumb, when using plants to filter your air, is to position them so there are two plants per 100 square feet. So for example, if you have a home that is 1000 square feet, then you’d want ten twenty plants around your home. If you have multiple levels in your home, you will want to divide the plants between the two floors. However, NASA’s guideline is to use 15-18 plants in a home of approximately 1800 square feet.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a “green thumb,” spider plants and ferns are easy because they’re easy to care for and they don’t take up too much space. And because many of the plants listed are tropical plants, they’re easy to find at your local nursery or even your local home and hardware store.

Using plants to keep you’re the air in your home clean is a fantastic way to protect your health and the health of your family. And plants have a knack for making us feel better, more connected to nature and more positive.